MARIETTA — Neighbors had little information to offer about a 21-year-old Kennesaw State University student charged with several felonies after allegedly hiding a 13-year-old girl inside his parents’ east Cobb home for more than 30 days.

Joshua Harry Measroch, 21, was arrested and charged June 13 with rape, aggravated child molestation, child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purpose — all felonies — and interference with custody, a misdemeanor. He remains in custody at the county jail with no bond, according to jail booking records.

No one answered the door Tuesday afternoon at the Measroch household on Powers Park Way off Johnson Ferry Road, though several cars were parked outside. Calls to the residence were not returned.

According to the warrant, Measroch allowed the child “to remain hidden in his bedroom” from May 2 to June 5 while allegedly engaging in sex acts with her. The report states Measroch had sex with the child approximately three times.

A neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said Tuesday he was out of town when Measroch was initially taken into custody June 5 but had never seen any strange activity at the home prior to the arrest.

He said neighbors told him several police officers came to the scene that day and showed pictures of the girl. He said he didn’t know Measroch well, but “never had any problems with him.”

“I’ve known them (the family); they seem like very nice people to me,” the neighbor said.

Deputy Cortney Morrison with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office said the teen was reported missing May 3 from her Covington home.

With the assistance of the girl’s parents, she was discovered at Measroch’s address in Marietta. Morrison said the girl met Measroch on a dating website where they communicated for about three months.

“She was misrepresenting herself using different names, ages, aliases and making multiple social network profiles,” she said.

Morrison said investigators determined Measroch drove 50 miles to the girl’s home and picked her up without the permission of her parents and brought her to his parents’ home in Marietta.

Measroch was arrested and charged with the offenses of interference with child custody and obstruction of a law enforcement officer June 5 and detained at the Newton County jail before returning to Cobb to face charges locally.

Morrison would not discuss whether the teen’s parents had access to her online accounts, but said they were aware of her accounts on social networking sites.

“The parents were very instrumental in bringing her home and locating her,” Morrison said.

Morrison said the teen will face charges in Newton County for running away from home.

Kennesaw State University spokeswoman Tammy DeMel confirmed Tuesday that Measroch audited courses in communications and sports management at the university over the last academic year.

A Walton High School year book lists Measroch as being a member of the Class of 2011.

The little 13 year old child was obviously not being parented and has been raped and kidnapped for a month. Her mind has been forever scared and imprinted with things she will live with and affect her forever.

He, 21 years old got to live his wild fantasies at her expense for a month! You tell me who is the victim?? She needed responsible parenting & didn't have protective parents watching over her especially during her dangerous teen years.

If I had a teen girl, her every move would be watched, especially her computer!!!! The parent should bear some burden of guilt, not the teen.

What's funny is that he will be labeled a sex predator for being gullible while we consider a girl who lied about her age in order to run off with him a "victim." He was an idiot, but she constructed an entire web of lies to convince a gullible idiot like this young man to take her away from her parents and have sex with her. So who is really the sex predator here?

KSU professor charged a few months ago for same thing as this student. Do the two know each othet? Are the there othher child molestation cases at this school? What is going on in classrooms? Time for GBI or Nancy Grace to investigate current and previous mistreatment of females at KSU. S from

As a student at KSU, I can assure you it is definitely part of the campus culture to treat women as inferior beings. The handful of cases that have come to light are most assuredly representative of the 25,000 people with ties to the University.

Rape Hiding Someone

|

June 19, 2013

This man, and he is 21, commited several felonies

and deserves to be punished for crimes committed.

Aside from the fact he committed these crimes he used neanderthal actions for all 30 days. You would think common sense would kick in somewhere during that time. The common sense gene seems to be receding in his genetics, or he just has the common criminal gene, which is common these days.

Teenage girls are one hot mess now a days. I feel badly for this boy if she misrepresented herself which the article claims she did. I hope the judge is lenient on him. It doesn't sound like she was trying to get away either. Parents should not allow their teen to have social media sites and should monitor the teens on the computer. Min had to sit next to me until they were in high school. Parents now a days love to place blame everywhere else except for where it should be placed.

Poor Kid. A 13 yr old girl, lookn 21. Boys need to ask for ID. Well all should ask for ID. U never know if they are who they say. He well go to jail for years because of this. And be on the sexual offenders list for life. Bet he can relate to the Brain Banks story.

Just Wait

|

June 19, 2013

Poor Kid? If he was so sure she was "legal" why would he hide her in his room? And at no time did the parents even suspect something unusual was going on? Please

Cobb Mom

|

June 19, 2013

Holy victim blaming! Yes, she misrepresented her age, but he committed all the crimes here. If he thought she was of legal age, why would he keep her hidden in his room for a month? We should NOT feel badly for this "boy" (who is, in fact an adult man and now, a criminal). We cannot blame girls and women when they are the victims of rape and related crimes.

*We welcome your comments on the stories and issues of the day and seek to provide a forum for the community to voice opinions. All comments are subject to moderator approval before being made visible on the website but are not edited. The use of profanity, obscene and vulgar language, hate speech, and racial slurs is strictly prohibited. Advertisements, promotions, and spam will also be rejected. Please read our terms of service for full guides